My husband would like to put a ban on buying pasta. Not for everyone. Feel free to buy all the spaghetti you want. He would simply like me to stop buying it. No, he's not on a low-carb diet. His protest isn't how about much pasta we eat. My husband's issue is more or less related to the amount of real estate the many boxes of pasta varieties in our pantry occupies.

It's a discussion (or debate) we've had in our house, well, more than once. While I will admit that pasta, in all its shapes and sizes, does occupy a disproportionate amount of shelf space in my kitchen, if you ask me, it's earned every inch of it.

Whenever we have this little talk, which usually happens when I find him staring at a cabinet overflowing with partial boxes of penne, ziti and fettuccine and wearing a "Honey, we need to get you some help" look on his face, there are a few salient points I like to emphasize.

1. The surplus pasta has saved me from having to make a trip to the store on countless occasions, which is why I tend to buy a box every time I walk down the pasta aisle, whether I plan to use it in the near future or not.

2. Nine times out of 10, when I'm faced with "It's 6 o'clock and I haven't even thought about what I'm going to make for dinner" decision, pasta is the answer. Whether it's the star of the show or playing a supporting role, having a box handy can mean the difference between getting a quick, easy and healthful dinner on the table or getting in the car and heading for the drive-through.

3. Pasta can be paired with almost anything, which gives me the chance to utilize whatever else is lurking in the vegetable crisper. It's a definite money-saver.

Actually, all three points could be classified as money-savers. Ka-ching! I win!

This week it came to the rescue in the form of Shrimp Scampi Pasta, a classic dish of sautéed shrimp bathed in white wine, butter and garlic. Pair it with thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta, cooked al dente, and dinner is ready in less than 20 minutes, with minimum mess. I call that a win for the entire family.

Meredith Deeds is a cookbook author and food writer from Edina. Reach her at meredith@meredithdeeds.com. Follow her on Twitter @meredithdeeds.